Current bicycle pedal designs are generally comprised of a die-cast body that is formed in one-piece from aluminum or magnesium alloys. Due to bearing placement requirements, the strength and weight reduction of these die-castings tends to be complex and in many cases they require expensive tooling. Additionally, they may also require extensive secondary machining work. Some pedals have been made using plastic bodies, but these also tend to require a complex mold since they generally rely on traditional body design shapes. Plastic pedals are also usually considered to be too slippery. This is generally due to the pedal's molded-plastic shoe pins that tend to provide an inferior grip when compared to the steel pins found in metal pedals. The steel pins in metal pedals, however, normally utilize fixing points that tend to be vulnerable to damage. This damage usually prevents the fitting of a replacement pin that could be used to prolong the life of the pedal.
Traditional pedals also use either “loose” ball bearing arrangements or “sealed” ball bearing arrangements. Sealed bearing pedal arrangements are generally a combination of simple bushings, needle roller bearings and small, deep-groove radial cartridge bearings. In the case of loose ball bearings, the performance is inconsistent, and they rely on regular maintenance and adjustment in order to function properly. Furthermore, in order to minimize the thickness of the body, which is a desirable feature, the diameter of the spindle is restricted by the ball bearing size, and this in turn compromises strength. With “sealed” bearing designs, the standard deep groove bearings are either too large or too weak to handle the loads imposed on the pedal design. Additionally, the use of a bushing-type bearing in this area provides for a less than ideal performance, and axial loads (such as those from dropping the bicycle sideways) can easily destroy the single deep groove cartridge bearing. Many existing pedal designs also require an access port at the outboard end of the pedal body for assembly purposes. This access area is usually capped, but the cover employed is often vulnerable to damage, either making it hard to remove or causing it to either break or fall out, allowing dirt into the bearing cavity.
Thus, there is a need for a bicycle pedal that separates the function of radial and axial location bearings to enhance the strength, performance, and durability. In addition, the construction of the bicycle pedal needs to be simplified and allow for the use of composite materials with steel gripping pins for easy replacement. Also, eliminating the access port would minimize damages and production costs.